


My Heart Will Go On

by xXCuteMariaClaraXx



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe - 1910s, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Class Differences, Class Issues, Drama & Romance, F/M, Forced Arranged Marriage, Multi, Orphan - Freeform, Poe and Ben friendship, Real Life Characters in the story, Redeemed Ben Solo, Rey's fiancee is not the villain, Titanic AU, Tragedy, True Love Never Dies
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-08-01
Packaged: 2019-05-25 11:11:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,639
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14975936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXCuteMariaClaraXx/pseuds/xXCuteMariaClaraXx
Summary: Engaged to be married to a man who does not love, a match enforced by her money grubbing guardian, Unkar Plutt. The poised young orphan aristrocrat, Rey, is utterly miserable. On her first night abroad the RMS Titanic, she debates by pitching herself over the edge of the ship and into the icy waters below, giving up hope in all. That is until she meets a certain young man named Ben.





	1. Never An Absolution

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Lucas Film's (and Disney's) Star Wars and James Cameron's 1997 Film 'Titanic'.
> 
> A/N: This is honestly my first REYLO fic, so I tried with all my best to make them stay in characters in AU. So I hope you will enjoy this and good luck!

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" _Tell us, Rey."_

_The young man sat down in his chair while holding the tape recorder as the frail old woman sighed deeply with her wrinkled hands rubbing together on her lap._

" _It's been… eighty-four years." Her voice trembled._

" _It's alright. Just, try to remember anything—anything at all."_

_The old woman smiled in a small amusement. "Do you not want to hear this or not, Mr. Cameron?"_

_He and all of the crew including her granddaughter beside her, twinkle lightly at Rey's small joke._

_Reyna Kenobi then took another deep breath before she spoke of her tale._

" _It's been… eighty-four years… and I can still smell the fresh paint. The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in. Titanic was called… 'The Ship of Dreams'… and it was… it really was…"_

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The sea had always been appealing to Rey, in the years leading up to the present day. She had fond memories of visiting the Watergate Bay of Newquay with her parents as a child – they would ride horses and build sand castles and splash about in the surf from mid-mornings well into evenings, when the chauffeur would insist upon them getting back to the estate.

Of course, those were terribly distant memories of a world the young lady found herself struggling more and more to reach with every year has passed. Her mother and father, both kind, caring and generous as they are – had died when she was five years old, leaving all the fortune and child custody to her parents' long time business partner and merchant now a Baronet, Unkar Plutt and a few servants to raise her. The servants were friendly – her new guardian was not. The Baronet of Pluttington was a greedy, pompous, cruel man who raised Rey with a harsh hand, and never failed to use her to his advantage should an opportunity to arise.

Such an opportunity came knocking at their door about six months prior, when Lady Sindian and her son, Kace, showed up at the estate. To Rey, it had been a bizarre and unprompted visit; why on earth would an American businesswoman travel all the way to England with her son just to see the Baronet? Kace, kind as he was, had insisted it was merely a social call while they were touring the country – the baronet and the lady were closest acquaintances, apparently.

Neither he, nor Rey, had realized that, within the Baronet's study, an arranged marriage of "mutual benefit" was being drawn up. And so, less than a month later, the announcement of their engagement appeared in papers all over England's countryside and in society magazines in New York:

' _ **Mrs. Carise Sindian, of Birren & Associates: New York, is proud to announce the engagement of her eldest son, Mr. Kace Maddox Sindian, to the lovely Lady Reyna Sabine Kenobi, daughter of the deceased Earl and Duchess of Mandalore. The two will be wed on the 15**_ _ **th**_ _ **of May in England, at the Mandalore Cathedral, surrounded by Europe's aristocracy and several of Sindian's closest acquaintances, who will make the journey to Europe on the return trip of the RMS Titanic. We at the New Yorker wish the young couple well.'**_

The only pleasure Rey took from reading the announcements was a small sense of amusement at the variances between European news and its American counterpart. The announcements that Kace's mother had submitted were as flashy as her own guardian's were simplistic. But reading them had made this entire situation feel all too real, and today was arguably the biggest reality check of them all. For she was currently sat in a motorcar, across from Kace, watching Southampton rush by and the port, along with the largest ocean liner known to man, appear.

The date was April 10th, 1912, and the young couple, accompanied by Baronet Plutt and a few servants, were to sail across to New York to retrieve Kace's mother and her associates for the wedding, so they could all thoroughly enjoy Europe and take part in all of the pre-wedding festivities that were in order. While Rey loved a bit of a good party as a child when her parents were alive, the prospect of celebrating a marriage that she wanted no part in for an entire month had her feeling slightly ill.

"… darling? Did you hear what I said?"

Glancing away from the window, Rey shook herself slightly, meeting her fiancée's dark gaze.

"I'm sorry?"

"I was just commenting on how marvelous the ship looks. Have you ever seen something so  _enormous_?" Kace asked, grinning broadly, and Rey cast another glance out the window, finding herself rather underwhelmed by the sight of the Titanic looming before them, growing closer as they approached the port. For Kace, it symbolized as returning home and collecting his family for his marriage to a wealthy young lady who will soon take the title as a Duchess when she reaches at her 18th year. For Rey, the hulking piece of iron symbolized the iron bars trapping her in a lifetime she had never asked for.

"It doesn't look any bigger than the  _Maurtania_." She commented, earning a snort from Unkar Plutt, who lowered his newspaper to frown pointedly at her.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous.  _Titanic_ is twice the size of the  _Maurtania_ , easily. Did Professor Parkinson teach you nothing about size assessment? Or are you being foolish for you own crude amusement?"

"It was merely an observation,  _Plutt_. You don't need to lose your head over it." Rey quipped in response, frowning pointedly out rhe window, and she found herself slightly grateful for Kace's presence when he remarked it. "Not an entirely unfounded one, either.  _Maurtania_  was quite big."

It was moments like these days where guilt gnawed at Rey's insides. Kace was trying very hard to be a good fiancée. To make her happy. By all rights and logic, she should have come to love him by now. Six months was perfectly long courtship. But she just…  _didn't._  It wasn't that she didn't like Kace; on the contrary, she was quite fond of him. He was a good friend, always considerate and with the exceptional wit of modern American boy, but he had been presented to her in a dreadful way. For her guardian, Unkar Plutt hadn't insisted upon the marriage hoping for her to be happy; no, no, no. it had been insisted upon because Kace Sindian was an incredibly rich young man with a massive wealth, and the Mandolore estate was, for lack of a better phrase,  _broke_. The Baronet had spent all of her parents' fortunes on lavish accessories, and décor, and made numerous bad investments in businesses that went under, and now there was barely a penny left to her good name. Rey tried to argue with him one time, for spending all of her family's fortune into dust, she threatened him to call the authorities for all his doing but the baronet just laugh in cruel amusement when he told her that no one is going to believe an orphan child like her, and that made her feel a bit defenseless. Should Rey's marriage fall through, the estate would have to be sold, her family's possessions would be auctioned off, and they would be reduced to commonwealth within the year.

To Rey, that hasn't sound all too dreadful. Her heirship to become the Duchess of Mandalore had never appealed to her, even less so after her parents' death, and the very last thing she had wanted was to be forced to spend her life sorting out the mess that the Baronet had made. She'd debated running away multiple times, and evidently the Baronet knew of this, which is why he set up an ensnaring, wealth-ensuring marriage at the very first opportunity.

Kace Sindian was a kind individual, but he was the very last person that Rey wanted for a husband. Starting a marriage out of greed and based upon false promises of further wealth was a shameful plot that she was disgusted to be a part of.

"Do cheer up, darling. They've been calling Titanic the 'ship of dreams' in all of the papers. Doesn't that promise of an adventure?" Kace prompted as a motorcar came to a stop among hundreds of people and carriages and vehicles, and he offered Rey a whole-hearted smile for his benefit as her valet opened the door.

"Quite." She offered a kind smile as a response, watching as Kace stepped out of the motorcar, and Rey nodded for the Baronet to step out next, taking a deep breath of the wafting sea air before following in suit when the valet helped her out. She used to love the scent. Now, it was merely making her seasick.

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If there was one thing that Englishmen hated more than Americans, it was a hustler. A devious person who would join them at cards person who would join them at cards pretending to be a novice, easy pickings, only to take them for everything they had. They always kept an eye out for hustlers, and never let themselves fall for their tricks—and, if they, the bloke would never again see the light of the day.

In the local bar near the  _Titanic's_  port where two men, one was Scottish and the other was Indonesian playing poker with two other men. One was a good looking thirty-two year old native Guatemalan with a short curly dark hair and playful deep brown eyes. The other was a strange yet a uniquely attractive twenty-nine year old raven-haired with somewhat cold dark eyes. Most people saw him, always thought that he was much older than his age because he was somewhat a good looking and a bit mature than his age led on. The two handsome men, a native one was Poe Dameron, and the raven-haired was Ben Solo. The bets were a watch, some money and two third-class tickets to  _Titanic_.

"Solo, you're crazy." Said Poe to his American friend quietly. "You bet everything we have."

"When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose." Ben gave him his signature scoundrel smirk as the native Indonesian man turned to his Scottish companion and told him in English with his native tongue. "You moron. I can't believe you bet our tickets."

"Bala-Tik?" Ben asked. He didn't say anything and traded a card with Ben who put down the card that Bala-Tik had given him and took another from his stack.

"Alright," The young American man spoke, "I want the moment of truth. Somebody's life about to change. Poe?" his native companion threw down his cards. "Nothing."

" _Nada."_  Poe replied in Spanish.

"Razoo? Nothing. Bala-Tik?" The Scottish laid down his cards with pride.

"Uh-oh. Two pair." Ben deeply sighed before facing his Latino companion. "I'm sorry, Poe."

Poe began to cuss in his native words.  _"Apueste todo nuestro dinero! Para nada?!"_  Ben puts his hand on his fuming friend's shoulder in order to calm down.

"I'm sorry, you're not going to see your home again for a long time." Ben suddenly grows his frown to a victorious smirk as he spoke out loud before slamming his cards on the wooden table. "Because we're going to America. Full house, boys!"

Poe's eyes brighten up and yelled out. "YYYESSS!" He grabs the tickets from the middle of the table and raises them in front of him with a victorious grin on his face.

As the two friends continue to rejoice their winning. Ben begins to collect all the money when Razoo grabbed him by the top of his shirt. He began to cuss in his native speaking and raised his fist when Ben looked away and shuttled one eye. The punch suddenly landed on his Scottish companion square in the nose as Ben just scoffed in amusement before facing his joyful friend.

" _Finalmente nos vamos a casa!"_  Poe rejoiced before Ben took the tickets from him.

"We're going home!" He yelled out happily then kissed it before hugging him and began dancing together.

"I'm going to America!" Poe exclaimed until the bartender interrupted their victory dance. "No mate!"

The two friends stop their victory dance then faced him when he pointed the clock. "Titanic leaves to America in five minutes."

 _11:55!_  "Oh shit!" Ben cursed with his eyes widen in shock. "C'mon. C'mon! Hurry! Here." Poe puts all the money in the sack that Ben kept as they carried their other bags.

Turning their boots, they raced from the bar before the door swung shut on its hinges behind them.

Racing down the street, forcing themselves to run just to keep up with their brisk pace.

"We're riding high style now!" Ben exclaimed as he and Poe continuously ran to catch the Titanic. "We're a couple of regular swells. We're practically goddamn royalty,  _mi amigo_!"

Poe shouted back. "You see it's my destiny! Like I told you, I'm going to America to be a  _millonario!_ "

Ben jumped in front of the horse and ran back to Poe.  _"Estás loco!"_

"Maybe, but I've got the tickets." Ben amusingly shout out to Poe. "C'mon, I thought you said you were fast!"

"Oh shut up! You scruffy scoundrel!" The Latino shouted back in annoyance.

Ben laughed as they continue to run as fast they could even though they're running out of breath when Ben realized the loading planks were being pulled back by the crewmen.

"No, no, no! Wait we're passengers! Passengers!" Ben exclaimed. He handed the tickets to the man.

He looked at them suspiciously. "Have you been through the inspection queue?"

"Of course." Ben said while puffing out his breath. "Anyway, we don't have any lice or anything. We're Americans, both of us."

The crewman nodded sharply. "Right, come abroad." The two ran down the corridors passing by each person in the halls. "We're the luckiest sons of bitches in the fucking world, you know that?!" Ben exclaimed to Poe while continuously running their way to where everyone was waving goodbye to the crowds below.

"Goodbye!" Ben called out.

Poe scrunched his eyebrow in confusion. "You know somebody?" He asked.

He scoffed before smirking. "Of course not. That's not the point." Then faced the crowds down and waved at the people. "Goodbye! I'll miss you!"

Poe shrugged mindlessly as he did the same like his tall friend. "Goodbye! I'm never going to forget you!" He exclaimed.  _Titanic_ began to slowly pull away from her harbor. Everyone was still waving and cheering before the ship starts to move in a pace leaving the people on land.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just to tell you one thing before you're done reading this first chapter, that I portrayed Ben Solo as a bit of a scoundrel like his good looking dad ;)
> 
> Follow, Favorite and Comment will be a good payment for my writing ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ
> 
> See you soon for the next update (≧∇≦)/ !


	2. Comfort Sea Breeze

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Lucas Film's (and Disney's) Star Wars and James Cameron's 1997 Film 'Titanic'.
> 
> A/N: Hey guys, Short note! Tom Felton will be portrayed as My OC's Kace Maddox Sindian!
> 
> here's your 2nd chapter and enjoy :D!

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Ben and Poe made their way back down to the third class level and began to look for their staterooms through the hallway.

"360." Ben murmured while looking from left to right, checking all the numbers of the front doors until he finally found their selected room. "Oh, right there." The two men walked in and encountered their temporary roommates who are two Indonesian men. Ben politely greeted the two confused men with a handshake before he turned around and saw Poe had taken the top bunk.

Lucky for Ben, his height is reached on the top bunk, making him easily caught Poe. "Who says you get top bunk, huh?!" Ben punched him playfully and laid down on the bottom bunk. The Latino leaned over the bunk and looked at his tall American friend.

"Nobody did, Solo, but you were too slow! And besides you're too tall to be in this top bunk!" He began to laugh. Ben gave him an annoyed look and laid back down. And as everything else that Poe does, he over did it and fell out of the top bunk, landing with a hard thud causing the two Indonesian men to flinch when they see Poe on floor, flat faced. Ben smirked as his Latino friend got up while rubbing his head, swearing under breath.

"You have issues with gravity don't you, Poe?"

Poe gave Ben a menacing glance then replied with a sarcastic tone. "Ha, ha, ha, very funny." And with that, he jumped back to his bunk.

One of the Indonesian men turned towards the other and asked him in their native tongue. "Where's Razoo?" The other merely shrugged.

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"… and where shall I hang the Piscasso,  _ma dame_?"

Glancing away from her inspection of the suite they had been allotted for the journey, Rey met Paige's gaze then at Rose's, the two sisters holding each of the paintings, seeking out a good spot on the wall before making her decision.

"Over there will do. But take care that it will not be in direct sunlight; it will bleach the paint."

As you wish,  _ma dame_." Both sisters agreed then bowed slightly, and Rey sighed with distaste.  _My lady, my lady, ma dame, ma dame, ma dame._

"Must you call me that, Paige? Rose? You know I prefer to just be called by name." She stated, rolling her eyes when Unkar Plutt chose that exact moment to emerge from the drawing room, a scowl on his face.

"They will do no such thing! You are a lady, and you are to be referred to as such – especially by the servants. Paige, fetch me my cigar box; it seems to have been misplaced by the servant who packed my belongings." He then faced her younger sister and said. "And you, Rose, fetch me a glass and a bottle of brandy, I need to have some good relaxation after all the stress I have been through."

Right away, my lord." Two sisters agreed then bowed before retreating, and Rey resisted the urge to roll her eyes yet again. Her no good guardian knew perfectly well that Paige and Rose themselves were said  _'servants'_.

"Must you be so rude? It would hardly kill you to speak to them kindly, they're our maids, for god's sake." Rey snapped, and that caused Unkar to scowl. If possible, even more pointedly.

"You dare use the Lord's name in vain? When he has given you all that you have?" He snapped, and, with her back to him, Rey  _did_  roll her eyes. What has the Lord given her? Dead parents, a cruel guardian, being an aristocrat orphan and a crumbling fortune that he was responsible for rebuilding by marrying a man who she didn't love. Pardon her for not being overtly respectful.

"I'm merely suggesting that you manage the servants kindlier, considering we barely have enough money left to my name to pay their wages." Rey remarked coldly to her guardian who exhaled with a scoff.

"Nowhere does it say that I must be kind to my servants. Either I can be kind, or I can pay them. By all means, if they offer to work for free, I may be moved to kindness."

"Did you want something, Baronet Unkar? Or have you come only to patronize me?" Rey questioned, finally turning away from her painting to meet his steely gaze. "And just you wait. When I become a Duchess of this household and take my family's claim, I will find a way to get rid of you." She spat at him. The Baronet sneered at Rey's impertinence, but whatever retort she'd been about to fire back was interrupted by the two sisters re-entering the room.

"My sincerest apologies, my lord. I mistakenly packed your cigars with the brandy, and not in the trunk in which you had been searching." Paige said with a sincere gentle tone.

Not dignified her with a response, the Baronet took a cigar from the proffered box and waited for Paige to light it then took the glass and brandy from Rose's hands harshly before taking a long drag, blowing smoke in Rey's direction before finally speaking.

"We are to dine with the captain, Mr. Andrews and Mr. Ismay later this afternoon." He stated, and Rey arched an eyebrow but she didn't reply.

Not caring if she didn't respond, he continued. "I suggest you brush up yourself and make yourself look good for today."

"I honestly don't care what I look." Rey replied blandly when Rose offered her a glass of brandy. "And besides, I'm not the type of lady who adores jewelry and shining gowns, just so you know."

Thanking Rose for pouring brandy on her glass, Rey ignored the Baronet's obvious glare of distaste.

"You know I hate those foul things." She snapped as she looked at the glass of brandy. "No respectable woman would ever touch them."

Giving her head a shake, she brushed past Unkar and headed for the sitting room. If she had to be here, on a ship transporting her to her prison cell of a future, she would damn well drink a lot of brandies if she wanted to.

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Ben and Poe ran up to the bow to go look out at the ocean. Ben stood up on the platform and held onto one of the cables, Poe did the same. Both men leaned over the railing to see the water deeper. They stood upright and looked over at the horizon.

It's been a long time since he had been on a ship when his parents were still alive, he remembers his father making him sit on his old man's shoulder while on the platform watching the ocean with his mother on her husband's side leaning on his chest. He and his parents moved from New York to Italy where his grandparents lived when he was only five, things were starting to go well until his parents had gone into a huge argument every time when Ben was around, and that caused him to do something so horrible, he became distant from his parents, even though they tried to assure him that everything was fine but he didn't buy it and so he ran away without saying goodbye to them. Then soon after that, he was involved in huge parties, speakeasies, bootleggers, gangsters and had an opiate addiction in his teens until he was unfortunately caught by the police and was arrested. And there he was sentenced to seven years in prison. When his parents heard the news of his imprisonment, they were both disappointed and heartbroken as they visited him. His father, Han was more disappointed while his mother, Leia was more heartbroken to see their son in prison. Regretfully in response, He lashed them out and said  _'Your son is gone, he is weak and foolish like you two are. Your son is DEAD! Leave me be to rot in prison!'_  And with that, he turned away from his parents, ignoring his mother's cries of plea, never hearing or seeing them again that is until seven years later when he got out of prison, Poe, his only childhood friend and neighbor whom he hadn't seen him for a long time told him that his parents are gone, his father Han, died from a heart attack, two years after his son's imprisonment causing Leia to go into a deep depression for almost a year due to her husband's death and her son's imprisonment, Poe tried all he could to take care of Leia and loved her with all he can but sadly, she had gone into an eternal deep sleep. Ben tearfully regrets his actions and the most terrible thing that he did when he last saw his parents is that he lashes them out cruelly. He will never forgive himself for that…  _never_. But his old friend Poe told him that his parents forgive him, they always are and they didn't want to see him kneel down and cry for them, putting all the blame to himself. It took him a few days for him to recover after hearing his parents' death, and with that, he promised himself that he will no longer be that person he was seven years ago and he will redeemed himself on his own way...  _for them._

Ben's past memory started to fade off from his thoughts as he tapped Poe on the shoulder. "Hey look, look, look!" He pointed down where he was looking down. "Look, look." Next to the ship is a single dolphin swimming and leaping into the air almost as if it was controlling the swells. "There's another one." He pointed again. "See him?" Ben asked Poe. Afterwards there was a whole pod of dolphins gathering together. "Look, look at the other one! Look, he's gonna jump!" He pointed the dolphin now jumps with a splash then the other and another as both men looked amazed at the dolphins' jump and speed.

Then Ben starts to jump onto the rail and yelled out. "Whoo!"

"I can see the Statue of Liberty already," Poe said jokingly while pointing towards the distance, "very small, of course." Ben laughed at his Latino friend then he lets go of the cable he was holding onto and raised his arms out. "I'M THE KING OF THE WORLD!!!!!!!" Both began to yell, whoop and howl, in Ben's case, with delight. Ben leaned back and let wind take him then closes his eyes, reflecting his good old days with parents as a happy child.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow, Favorite and Comment will be a good payment for my writing ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ
> 
> See you soon for the next update (≧∇≦)/ !


	3. Drown to Hopelessness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Lucas Film's (and Disney's) Star Wars and James Cameron's 1997 Film 'Titanic'.
> 
> A/N: Hey guys, here's your 3rd chapter and enjoy :D!

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"She's the largest moving object ever made by the hand of man in all history." Mr. Ismay proclaimed with pride in his tone. "And our master shipbuilder, Mr. Andrews here designed her from the kneel plates up."

The shipbuilder nodded with a slight smile then begins to explain.

Well, I may have knocked her together, but the idea was Mr. Ismay's." He continues to describe the masterpiece of ship with passion. "He envisioned a steamer so grand in scale and so luxurious in its appointments that its supremacy would never be challenged." He triple knocked on the table before claiming. "And here she is, willed into solid reality."

Rey seemed to be a bit bored at this conversation so she pulled out a cigarette and lighted it.

"You know it's unladylike for you to do that, child." Unkar Plutt said in mocking tone to her. Rey replied by blowing the smoke in his face, causing him to sneer at her. ' _Why you ungrateful prissy brat!'_  He thought in malice.

"My, she's quite the rebel there, Unkar. Are you trying to tame her, huh?" The women in elegant black on the other side of the table, chuckled as he looked at her with a look of either detest or utter disdain.

The women in a black dress was Margaret Brown, also known as  _"Molly"_  who is looked down upon by other first-class women, referring to her as  _"vulgar"_  and  _"new money"_ , though she seems very friendly to Rey when she first met her and she honestly doesn't know why most first-class people despise her.

"Hey uh, who thought of the name  _"Titanic"_? Was it you, Bruce?" Molly asked.

"Well yes, actually." Mr. Ismay smirked with pride as he continued to explain. "I want to convey sheer size and the size means stability, luxury, and above all strength."

Rey seems to look a bit annoyed at his words when she suddenly asked. "Do you know of Dr. Freud, Mr. Ismay?" He looks at her curiously as she continues. "His ideas about the male preoccupation with size might be of particular interest to you." Mr. Ismay's eyes widen in shock while Molly smiled and nodded at Rey's  _"comment"_. Mr. Andrews struggled himself not to laugh but his usual calm physique crumbled.

"What the devil's has gotten into you?!" Unkar whispered dangerously.

Ignoring his question she spoke to everyone around the table. "Excuse me." Then got up from the table and left.

The Baronet stuttered a bit with shame as he begins to face Mr. Ismay. "Sir, I apologize for my lady's attitude. She's a bit uh—upset, not moving on about her parents' death." He explained, covering up with a lie as the chairman just nodded with understanding.

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Outside the deck, Ben was observing a few feet away before sketching the father explaining to his daughter on how the propellers work. During his good old childhood days, he has a passion for art. Whenever there is free time, he puts out his sketch pad and begins to look for something interesting to draw. Even in his dark days, he still continued his love for art without the people knowing his secret.

Beside him, his friend Poe seems to be talking to a new companion as he spoke.

"This ship is nice, huh?" Poe stated.

"Yeah, it's an Irish ship." The young African-American man replied.

"It isn't English?" He asked curiously.

"No, it was built in Ireland. 15, 000 Irishmen built this ship. Solid as a rock. Big Irish Hands." He explains when a steward passed by walking a pack of dogs that had owners in the first-class.

The sight of that made the black man roll his eyes in annoyance. "That's typical." He said flatly. "First-class dogs come down to take a shit." After he commented, he smokes with his cigarette.

Ben then face him with an amused smirk. "Uh, let us know where we rank in the scheme of things."

The black man scoffed. "Like we could forget?" He said before blowing the smoke from his cigarette. "I'm Finn Trooper." He reaches his hand towards the two, greeting them.

"Ben Solo." He reaches it and handshakes him first before Poe did the same.

"Poe Dameron."

"Nice to meet you two." He smiled before pointing out curiously at his sketch pad.

"Hey Ben, do you make money with your drawings?"

Ben was supposed reply when suddenly something emerges out in his sight… he saw  _her_ … the young woman walked up to the balcony to look at the horizon.  _'She's so… beautiful'_ he thought in admiration.

Finn seemed to notice his stare as he follows the trail on what he is staring at when he sees on what had caught Ben's eye as he grinned amusingly.

"Oh forget it, Ben. You would have wished to have angels fly out of your ass by getting next to the likes of her, you know."

He didn't seem to hear Finn's words as he continues to stare at Rey when she suddenly looks at him for a second then eyes away from him trying to ignore his intense stare but somehow she looked at him again, longer than she had previously did.

_'Why is that man staring at me?'_  Rey wondered.

Ben's eyes still went to hers like he can't look away from the sight of her. Poe seems to notice his tall friend's gaze at the young woman on the balcony as he tries to break his friend's eye contact by passing hand in front of Ben's memorized face. Unsuccessfully, he just laughs at his best friend's face, gawking at the girl on the top.

Rey continues to stare at him until she suddenly felt a hand on her lower arm, she broke her gaze at the man below then looks up to face Kace, who looks a bit concerned towards her.

"Darling, I know you are a bit unwell for this but I think we should go back to the dining room, Unkar is starting to become concerned for you." Kace said in a calm reassuring tone.

Rey scoffed when she heard the word "concerned".  _'Him, concerned?! For me?!'_  She thought.  _'He is more likely pissed than concerned.'_

"Fine, I'll try to survive though." She replied, flatly.

And with that, Kace wrapped his arm around Rey's waist and left the balcony then walked their way towards the dining room.

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"Look who I found, wandering about." Kace remarked as he and Rey rejoined their table; The Baronet sent him out to search for her, rather irritated that she had shown little to interest in talking shop and then, out of nowhere, had excused herself. For a lengthy period of time.

"I hope you'll pardon me." Rey requested, even though she didn't really care all that much what these gentlemen thought of her. "I only meant to take in a bit of air, but the sunset distracted me."

"Ah," The Captain remarked with a knowing grin. "Captivating, isn't it? There's nothing quite like a sunset on the open water."

"It was rather breathtaking." Kace agreed, offering his fiancé a smile before lifting his glass of champagne to his lips and she nodded in agreement and smiled in return. She would much rather still be staring at the sunset than to be in a stuffy dining room, surrounded by stuffy, mindless people.

"You'll have to excuse my Lady's thoughtlessness." The Baronet remarked, his own champagne glass in his hand. "The Professor spent far too much time on the Arts than I would have liked. A request made by her late parents."

"Well, I don't think there's anything wrong with the arts." Kace remarked. Despite Rey acknowledgement to him as her fiancé only for family business, he wasn't nearly as stuck up as the others seated at the table. For that alone, she admired him.

"I couldn't agree more," Rey concurred, lifting her soup spoon. "Professor Parkinson had the finest taste in literature; Shakespeare, Dante, Homer and the like. He had a soft spot for modern painters, as well."

"All those mindless, useless drivel and a waste of my money." The Baronet remarked.

"Nonsense. I've been searching for a good tutor for my little sister back home, for months now, and this Professor of yours sounds just perfect." Kace smiled in amazement.

"Don't be a fool, Milord. Hiring that man will be a waste of time and money." Unkar stated, frowning pointedly across the table. "You'd be far better off to hire one of the professors down at Oxford. Far better versed in their fields. World renowned."

Frowning, Rey set her spoon down, narrowing her eyes at her ungrateful guardian.

"You can't be serious." She disagreed, her tone passing the point of politeness and verging on frank disdain. "The professors at that school are said to be horribly harsh. They're meant to teach gentlemen and ladies, not young boys and girls. They'd be liable to beat a child for not knowing the works of Plato by heart within a week."

"And so they should be," He rebutted, cutting his steak while he spoke. "Any scholar worth having caught to have a firm hand. Otherwise, their child will grow to be flighty and unreliable."

"Just the same, I think I'll pass on the Oxford professors." Kace interjected, clearly sensing things were going amiss between Lady Rey and Baronet Unkar Pluttington. "But I'll keep that in mind."

Rey was disgusted. The longer she sat with these people, listening to her guardian dictating on how a child taught to be raised to a perfect stranger, the sicker she felt. Was this to be her life after her marriage? Her children, doomed to be terrorized by this Baronet just as she had been if she dies like her parents? Was nothing ever to change? Glancing over at Kace, who was working his way through his chicken pot pie, she felt her anxiety worsen. This poor young man had no idea what he was signing up for. A life as her husband also entailed a life from which the Baronet would undoubtedly entail watching his children be treated with a cruel disposition and a harsh hand. It was making Rey feel claustrophobic.

No matter how much long she waited, all of this was still going to happen. She had a few days at best to come to terms with it all before she would be photographed with Kace among his family and acquaintances, and in a month they would be married. She could kiss any semblance of independence and freedom goodbye the second Kace places the ring on her finger. Then there was the possibility that, even with his fortune, there wouldn't be enough money to keep up the estate. The Baronet had thrust the crippling debt and an unloving marriage upon her, and it was too heavy a load for anyone to bear. The worst part was that, should she fail, all of the blame would be placed upon her. Her guardian had managed to lie the people and hide her debt incredibly well thus far – cruelly, so that her family's name would be tarnished. Should the truth will ever get out? But He would forever be revered as the good Baronet Unkar Pluttington.

"Ladies, it has been a pleasure. Would the gentlemen like to join me in the smoking room for a brandy?" Mr. Ismay asked as he stood, time having passed quickly and there was a general murmur of agreement as Rey found herself making an excuse.

"I actually feel that I may be getting a bit seasick." She lied, gripping the edge of the table and resisting the urge to flinch away when Kace laid a gloved hand upon hers. "You'll have to excuse me."

"Darling-" Kace tried to interject, but Rey quickly made her way out of the dining room, nodding curtly at the footmen before pushing the side door open to retreat out onto the deck – but she made no move to head towards their suite, as the Baronet and Kace undoubtedly have expected her to do. Rather, she turned and started briskly walking in the direction of the ship's stern – and then she found herself walking a bit faster, and faster until she was all but running while lifting her skirt to not get tripped over, shoving past the aristocrats on her way, earning a disgruntled shout from a colonel and a gasp from a duchess, but she didn't care. Her head was swimming, and it wasn't at all from seasickness. It was a crushing, unbearable sense of claustrophobia. Shoving the gate open, she darted down a set of stairs to a lower deck, shoving past more people and repeating the action a second time until she found herself in the furthest area of the ship from the dining room, the only sound now being the crashed waves below and her heart was hammering in her chest. She skidded to a stop and slammed into the railing, gripping it with white knuckles as she stared down into the black, sloshing abyss.

Rey was breathing heavily with panic, unsure exactly what had motivated her to come all the way back here. It was more than a need to escape the aristocracy for a moment; she could have gone back to her room to do that. No, this felt far more… dire. She felt like a caged animal, desperate for a way out. Any way out.

Without thinking twice, she clamored up onto the ship's railing, one rung at a time, and then lowered herself down onto the other side, clinging for her dear life as she stared down at the ocean, her breath still coming in cold, wheezing pants. She could do it. She could let go, and fall into the water below, and welcome death with open arms. Perhaps she would get to see her beloved parents again. She'd certainly never have to face Unkar again. The only thing keeping him from letting go immediately was the thought of poor Kace. She was no fool, he was kind to her, and called her  _"darling"_ , but he undoubtedly wanted this marriage just a little as she did. He, like her, likely wanted to marry someone for love. The only reason she had agreed to this mess for so long was because she truly was fond of him; he was a kind young man, with a good heart, and he could, at the very least, be an equally kind wife to him. But marrying someone out of courtesy seemed almost worse than marrying him for his money.

Squeezing her eyes shut, Rey steeled herself to let go until she heard someone calling out to her from behind.

"Don't do it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow, Favorite and Comment will be a good payment for my writing ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ
> 
> See you soon for the next update (≧∇≦)/ !


	4. Her Savior

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Lucas Film's (and Disney's) Star Wars and James Cameron's 1997 Film 'Titanic'.  
> A/N: Hey 4th chapter's here, enjoy :D!

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It was late. Well into the evening, by any standards. Ben somehow had lost his father's pocket watch before going into the ship, so he wasn't sure of the exact time. His only possessions were the clothes on his back, the boots on his feet, and an old sketch pad with a few blank sheets of papers and pencils tucked into his bag. Which was more than fine with him. The less materialistic you are, the easier it is to up and leave and go where the wind takes you. It had gotten him this far; a ticket aboard the Titanic and enough money to last a few weeks in New York while he found his footing.

Poe had taken his leave an hour or so ago, claiming to be tired. Ben had opted to stay up on top, lounging on a bench and staring up at the night sky. It was even clearer out on the water than it had been in Paris or Southampton; the stars seemed to go on for miles and miles, endlessly, like the universe's very own masterpiece. Staring like this, he could see where Vincent Van Gogh had taken the inspiration for  _Starry Night_.

Inhaling the dregs of a cigarette he had bummed, Ben's artistic reverie was rudely interrupted by a rather loud sound of someone thundering past him, breathing like a panicked dog. That seemed bizarre, on the  _'ship of dreams'_ ; especially this part of the ship of dreams. Sitting up, he rose to his feet and walked over to flick his cigarette butt over the edge of the ship's railing, freezing with wide eyes when he realized someone else had the same idea – only they weren't planning on pitching a _cigarette_  over the edge. They were planning on doing something far, far worse.

Approaching as quickly as he can, but also as quietly, as possible, Ben took a slow breath before daring to speak. He was terrified of spooking this figure of desperation and accidentally sending her falling off, but he couldn't just let her do it of her own freewill, could he?

"Don't do it." He finally spoke out which caused the young woman to jolt in surprise but to his relief, she didn't let go.

"Stay back." She warned the young man in front of her. Then she realized that it was the same man that was staring at her earlier that day. "Don't come any closer."

"Ma'am?" He prompted, once again relieved when she didn't flail and fall to her death. "Ma'am, I really don't think that's such a good idea. I'm quite sure the railing was designed to keep you  _on_  the ship." Ben walked closer to her trying to coax her back. "Come on. Just give me your hand. I'll pull you back up." He extended his hand towards her.

"No! Stay back! Don't come any closer!" She rasped in response, her voice a few octaves higher than it likely would be under normal circumstances, and Ben knew he had to act quickly. Even if she chose to come back over, she would only be able to hold onto that railing for so long. Eventually, the cold air and damp ocean spray would make her slip.

"Milady, please-"

"I said not to come any closer!" She cried out, turning her head to look at him, her eyes went wild. "I'll jump!"

_'I have to get a bit close enough without having her freaked out.'_  Ben thought.

"With all due respect." He countered, cautiously stepping forward. "You look as though you plan to jump no matter what I do. I'd like to persuade you not to do so."

The closer he got, the more he recognized her; she was the sad young lady from up above. The sad maiden with such piercing gaze. It almost troubled him, how spot on he had been about her.

"I told you to not come any closer, damn it! I don't care what you have to say! I'm going to let go!"

Leaning against the railing, Ben quietly cleared his throat, glancing down at the ocean below. He'd been in this part of world long enough to know that the water would be freezing cold; if she didn't die on the impact from such a high fall, she would freeze to death or drown, both of which would be awful ways to go die. Freezing would be slow and torturous, and drowning would feel like a thousand icy knives piercing her lungs. No one deserved to go that way. Not even  _les riches_.

"I'd really rather you not let go, ma'am." He prompted, turning his head to look at her, watching as she continued to breathe heavily. "Because, if you do, I'll have to jump in after you."

"What?" The rich, desperate young lady exclaimed, finally turning to look at him properly. "Are you bloody mad? You would die!"  _'_

"Possibly, but I'm a good swimmer." Ben assured her, lifting his cool fingers to begin to take off his jacket, shrugging it off and setting it aside.

"The fall alone would kill you." She argued.

"Yes, it would hurt." He replied while bending down to staring unlacing his boots. "But I'm far more concerned about that water than the fall itself."

Frowning, the young lady paused in her ravings, turned her gaze back to the sloshing waves below, her voice quieter when she asked. "… why?"

"Because it's freezing cold, of course." Ben explained, tugging his boots off one by one, setting them with his jacket before looking over the edge again. "If I jump in there after you, there will be no way for me to pull you out, and we'll both freeze to death. Or drown. Or, if you want to be poetic, we could be ripped to shreds by the ship's propellers and then be devoured by hungry sharks."

"…  _sharks_?" She wheezed, seeming to get a few shades paler.

"Sharks, you know. The carnivorous big-" His explanation was cut off when Rey spat out angrily.

"I know what those sharks are!"

"Sorry. You just seem like, you know, kind of an indoor girl."  _'Nuts and ill-tempered… you've really hit the jackpot this time, huh, Solo?'_ He thought sarcastically. "Anyway, I saw porpoises this morning – and where there's one large marine animal, there are bound to be others. Sharks included."

"Oh, good god…" She croaked, clinging even tighter to the railing, turning to look over at Ben once more. "Why in God's name would you jump in after me to face all of that? You must be crazy!"

"That's what everybody says, but just to let you know that I happen to be also quite noble. Now that I've tried to talk you out of it, should I fail that it only seems right to die alongside with you."

"Good god…" She whispered again, both baffled and horrified by his honesty, and Ben gave her a calm yet small smile.

"I'd really rather not die; I'm quite looking forward to go back home with my family that I haven't seen for many years. So if you could step back over the edge, I'd be very appreciative." His gaze softening as he added. "Come on. Come on, give me your hand. You don't want to do this." Ben extended his hand far enough so Rey could reach him. She slowly took his hand and turned around as she trembled slightly, both from the cold ocean spray and her own terror, the young lady looked up to face Ben, her eyes still wide with fear. Eyes, he noted, as green as the deep forest woods that made him become so enamored towards her.

"I'm Ben Solo. What's your name,  _sweetheart_?"

"… Reyna Sabine Kenobi."

"A bit of a mouthful there. Guess I'm going to have to get you to write that one down." He chuckled at her full name as Rey can't also help but laughed along with his small joke. "Come on, carefully. Just climb over to me. I won't let you go."

Carefully, as he had instructed, she tries to step up the rungs but suddenly her shoe got caught on her long dress and she slipped with Rey screaming in panic terror. Ben's eyes widen when he saw her slipped as he caught her hand so suddenly with both of his hands tightly.

"I got you! Come on." Ben tries to reassure her as Rey tries to climb but got slipped again causing her to scream more loudly for help that it reaches the other part of the deck where the three officers heard a lady's screams as they ran off to see what was happening.

Ben struggles to pull her Rey back up but keeps on panicking.

"Please get me up!" She screamed with her afraid eyes.

"Listen. Listen to me." Ben said while trying to reassure her. "I've got you and I won't let go." Rey seems to stop screaming but her panicking breathe never leaves her as she begins to trust him when he tells her to keep on pulling herself up. "Now pull yourself up. Come on." Ben pulled her up as she tries to keep on climbing with her feet. He then pulls her over and held her as he have her in his arms.

"I've got you." It was a success but Ben accidentally let both of them fell on the deck as the three officers arrived to see where Ben and Rey.

"What's all this, then?" one of the officers inquired. Ben got off of Rey, sat with his hands resting on knees. The officer saw the young lady's dress was pulled higher than it was supposed to be, revealing her stockings and shoes. Then looks at the woman looking extremely terrified and trembling. He looked at Ben's direction and the first thought that would come into mind would be…  _a low class man raping a high class young woman!_

"You stay back! And don't move an inch!" Ben follows the officer's orders as he stood up and stuff his hands in his pockets.  _'Oh great, more bad situations'._ Ben thought sarcastically.

But luckily, Rey calmed herself and sat up to defend him. "Wait, he has done nothing wrong." She gasp out, prompting the officer to turn his head to face her. "I was careless, and nearly fell over the edge. This man… saved my life."

Ben just stares at her with a soft expression when he saw her looked up to him and gave him a gentle smile.

"Was that truly the way of it?" the officer asked, turning to face him again.

"Yes." He replied in calm tone then nodded. "That was the way of it."

At that precise moment in time, further footsteps echoed across the deck, followed by an exclamation of, "Darling! What are you doing lying on the  _ground_?"

Rey turned her head and caught the sight of Kace, accompanied by Paige and Rose along with a deck hand, hurrying down the stairs. Kace was quick to shove Ben aside, ignoring the man he shoved past by as he focuses his concern on Rey.

"What on earth happened here? Do you realize who this woman  _is_?" He snapped, and Rey thanked Paige and Rose as the two maids helped her to her feet, taking a deep, steadying breath. But now Kace was fussing over her, just as she had been fussing over Ben mere moments ago. "Darling, what happened? I went back to the room, and one of your two maids said you hadn't returned, and then this one," He gestured vaguely to the deck hand, "said he saw you run past like a bat out of hell!"

The deck hand cleared his throat, explaining that  _"Bat out of Hell"_  wasn't his exact word choice, but Rey shook her head dismissively, not troubled by it.

"Seasick." She quickly prompted herself to lie, honing in on her previous excuse. "I was seasick. Quite unwell. I came back here for… some air." She explained, glancing over the ship's railing once more before seeking out Ben. She had yet to thank him for saving her from falling off deck. She wanted to do something in return. But he wasn't standing on the deck, where he had been a moment ago.

In the fuss of her fiancée and her maids, Paige and Rose, along with the ship's staff, hurrying her aid, he'd made his escape – likely because he wasn't supposed to be up here in the first place.

Her savior, a handsome man with a beautiful heart, was gone.

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow, Favorite and Comment will be a good payment for my writing ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ
> 
> See you soon for the next update (≧∇≦)/ !


	5. The Story of Our Lives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Lucas Film's (and Disney's) Star Wars and James Cameron's 1997 Film 'Titanic'.  
> A/N: Hey 4th chapter's here, enjoy :D!

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Sitting about in her private room looking at the mirror while combing her brown locks, Rey took a deep breath. Tonight had been… eventful. Dreadfully eventful. She would have died if had not Ben been in the right place at the right time, and she didn’t even get the chance to thank him. How would she find him again? There were over two thousand people aboard Titanic. She wouldn’t even know where to start.

More pressing still was Baronet Pluttington’s most recent lecture, which he had given to her after returning from brandies with Mr. Ismay, entirely unaware of Rey’s… seasickness.

To let her stress wore off, she opened the music box as it starts to play a sweet tune. She closed her eyes and a relaxed smile grown from her lips as the beautiful music continues to soothe her mind until she heard a knock on the door. Rey looked at reflection to see the door open when Kace appears to her with a soft smile.

“May I come in?”

In return, she did the same towards him and replied. “Of course.”

And with that, Kace enters inside and closes the door then approaches his way to her. Rey saw something he was holding in his hands for what it appears to be a blue velvet box, almost large enough to cover her fiancee’s hands.

“I know you’ve been melancholy. I don’t pretend to know why.” He sat down on the side of the mirror table and faces down at her. “I intend to save this until the engagement gala next week. But I thought tonight…” He clicks the front of the box open and lids up to reveal an incredible blue heart-shaped necklace, “would be more suitable.”

Her eyes widen in admiration and raised her fingers to her soft open lips with a gasp. “Goodness gracious.”

“Perhaps as a reminder of my fondness for you.” He replied with a calm smile as he watches her touch the blue diamond with her fingertips.

“Is that what I think it is?” Rey looks up to him with curiosity.

Kace chuckled heartedly. “The Hope Diamond? Yes. Fifty-six carats to be exact.” He removes the necklace off the box and places it on the table before putting the precious jewel around Rey’s neck as they both stare at their reflection. “It was worn by Louis XVI and they called it _“Le Coeu De La Mer.”_

“The Heart of the Ocean.” Rey replied it in fascination while touching the blue diamond on her chest.

He nodded. “That’s right. My mother wanted me to give you this as not just as a gift for our engagement but to show you this as a token of my affection towards you.” He stares at her reflection waiting for her answer.

Rey looks at him with such soft eyes as she knew that Kace would make such a good husband since he had always been kind to her and always tries to make her feel happy in such depressing times. Even though she may not love him, she will try to grow to love him when they marry but in her heart, she knew that her despicable guardian, Unkar forced her to marry Kace just for his family’s fortune. She hoped that someday, he will know the truth.

“I… I don’t know what to say.” Rey replied, looking at the reflection while touching the blue diamond with her fingertips.

Kace smiled and places his hands on her shoulders affectionately, knowing that she is grateful for his remarkable gift. Without saying word, he leans his lips towards her forehead and kisses it softly causing to slightly stiffen her posture and stared at him with her eyes widen.

But before Rey was about reply, Kace spoke.

“I will be seeing you tomorrow at dinner, darling.” He bowed slightly as a respect before leaving her alone as he went out of the room and closed the door.

Rey just stared at her reflection for what it feels like an hour than seconds while still touching the engagement gift her fiancée had given. She stood up then pacing about in her private room. She may have been grateful that her fiancée would give such a valuable gift but it would be better if she didn’t wear it, knowing that Unkar would have taken this precious jewel with such greedy hands.

And with that, she walked her way towards the small safe and twisted the padlock to access, she opened the door. Rey took a deep breath before removing the necklace from her and placed it gently back into the blue velvet box, she examined the diamond with a pointed frown. How could something so beautiful be such a heavy burden? How could she ever bring herself to be gifted by Kace in a way that wouldn’t seem insulting? She didn’t even thought to notice how little her heart was in whatever words she would force out in the moment by just saying _“I don’t know what to say”_. Thus far, she had given it very little thought. How was she supposed to profess her undying love to a man she didn’t love at all? How could her love be _‘undying’_ if it was never alive to begin with?

Huffing with frustration, she snapped the box shut and put it inside the safe, shutting the door calmly with her hands shaken and stalking over to her bed, flopping backward onto it with dejection. Tomorrow was a new day, and every new day brought the promise of a fresh wave of misery.

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For ben, however, every new day brought the promise of a new adventure. In his eyes, you never knew what you were going to do or who you were going to meet – just look at yesterday. When he woke up, he had been sleeping in the back of a musty tavern with Poe’s lap as a pillow, and by nightfall he’d been talking to an English young lady off the edge – quite literally – aboard the world’s largest luxury ocean liner. Some people preferred to live an easy, structured life, but Ben was never able to see the appeal. He wanted an adventure, and he intended to get it every single day, so long as he still breathed before coming back to home to his remaining family.

Today, he was certain, it would be no different. After hearing the terribly exciting story of what Ben had done with his evening, Poe decided that he didn’t want to go up top and risk coming across a suicidal lady of his own. He would stay where it was safe and quiet, thank you very much. How long that would last, Ben had no idea, but he didn’t object.

Currently, he was sprawled on a deck chair and working on his sketches, the ocean air whipping stray strands of his dark hair around. He’d been in the middle of drawing a group of little girls playing with immaculately dressed china dolls when a shadow suddenly blocked out his sunlight.

“Mr. Solo?”

Flitting his gaze up, he found himself meeting the same hazel eyes that she had encountered last night – at first when their owner turned around to face him whilst dangling over the edge of the ship, and secondly when he fell on top of her, their faces mere inches apart. They’d been blown open so wide in that moment that he thought he might drown in them. Not that he needed to know that.

“You’re blocking my light.” Was his response, and she furrowed her brow before realizing what he meant, quickly stepping to the side and tilting her head once he was no longer in her shadow.

“You made a quick work of disappearing last night. I never got to thank you.” She explained, glancing around as if she expected that someone was spying on her, and Ben couldn’t help but feel amused by her clear paranoia. She looked like a skittish kitten. Closing his leather-bound sketch folder, he tucked his pencil on his pocket then stood up and turned to look at her, dwarfing the young lady’s height. He tilt his head on the side, gesturing to walk beside him. Quirking her lips up at the gesture, Rey joined him.

“You don’t have to thank me.” He told her once she was at his side continuously walking together. “I did what anyone would have done.”

“Now see, you didn’t.” She was quick to disagree, folding her hands and shaking her head. “If that were the case, I never would have been debating to jump at all. What you did was… quite remarkable. I owe you a great debt.”

“You owe me nothing of the sort.” Ben informed her gently, frowning slightly. “What troubles me is why you were thinking of jumping at all?”

Falling quiet at his question. Rey pursed her lips and dropped her gaze to her hands. How could she possibly explain that? Even she felt, deep down, that it was all very foolish. What did she have to complain about, really? She was the daughter of a deceased Earl and Duchess of Mandalore, her cruel guardian spending all of her parents’ fortune, causing her to be engaged to a man who would make him extremely rich by his own greed, and she had more material wealth and trinkets in her suite on this ship alone than most people owned in their entire lifetime. People on the lower decks would envy her, and would likely try to kill her if they found out she was unhappy with her lots. She had no right to be.

“You must think of me quite a silly girl.” She stated, but not with pomp or snark; she said it in a matter-of-factly. “Poor little rich girl; what’s she got to complain about?”

“I wasn’t thinking that.” Ben disagreed, frowning even more and turning fully to face her. “What I meant was, what could possibly have made you want to jump? Of all possible ways to die, what could be so terrible that would prompt you to choose _that_? How could there be no kinder way out? No way out? No way out that… well, that doesn’t involve death?”

Lifting her gaze to meet his, Rey was shocked by the sincerity wasn’t a commonality among her circle, for that matter. He really wanted to know her – the real her. Taking a shaky breath, she swallowed roughly before speaking.

“Have you ever felt… trapped, Mr. Solo? Like the world has you backed into a cage, and you have no choice but to go where it takes you, no matter how badly you want to fight it?”

He looked at her with eyebrows furrowed and averted his eyes away from hers. “I have… _once_ …” He looked back again to hers in a calm expression. “But that’s not a real concept. No one can trap you if you don’t want to be trapped. You can only trapped if you sit idly by and let it happen.”

Opening her mouth to respond, she closed it again and furrowed her eyebrow as his words sank in. In a way, he was right; once the ship is docked, there was nothing at all stopping her from steeling away in the night and never coming back. She could hop a train, travel across America, and start a new life. A life operated solely on her terms. She was _letting_ all of this happen to him – how had she never looked at it that way before?

“You’re very wise, Mr. Solo.” She finally heard herself say this, and he grinned, shaking his head.

“It’s no problem, milady. But please, call me Ben.”

She smiled before saying. “Ben.” Feeling her cheeks burning rosy red, she looked down while shyly brushes her skirt softly before facing him again and asked curiously. “How did you become so wise? Who was your governess?”

“Governess?!” He laughed at the idea, putting his hand tucked in his pocket while his other hugging his drawings beside his hip as they walked, giving a small wave to the group of little girls he had been drawing before they continued on. “I’m not sure where you think I come from, Rey. But it certainly wasn’t a place where governesses were eager to teach.”

Frowning, she walked alongside with her, glancing back at the group of girls he had waved to before asking another.

“Where _are_ you from, then?”

Glancing down at her, surprised that she actually wanted to know, Ben took a deep breath before offering up tidbits of his life story.

“New York. I was born there, but we moved to Italy there when I was five where my grandparents lived for a very long time. I thought things were going to go happily well and fine… but.” His eyes avoid hers and looked down at his shoes, the guilt starting flow in his thoughts. “My parents kept on arguing almost every day, and I was always there to witness it… I felt as if I was the reason of their cause… so I became distant, trying to avoid my parents whenever they are around… as I couldn’t take the worse anymore. I ran away…” He was silent for a moment, trying to keep himself from drowning into guilt but then spoke out. “I got involved things that are completely… bad that I regret… I was caught by the police and got into prison for seven years…”

He can feel her staring at him while he was still looking down.

“And then… what happened?” she asked softly.

Ben kept himself silent for a few moments until he spoke out softly with eyes that form a guilt in them.

“When I got out of prison, my old friend came by to finally see whom I haven’t seen him ever since we were both kids… he told me that my parents are no longer alive…”

“Oh…” Rey looked at him with a hidden shock in her eyes but kept herself look calm, continues to listen his words.

“While I was in prison, my parents visited me… I can see them looking so disappointed but heartbroken… to see me in bars.” He can hear himself shudder in his tone when he finally said. “I regretfully lashed them out…” He swallowed in his throat, trying to keep himself from tears. “I told them that their son is dead and let myself be rot in prison. And with that, I turned them away. Not looking back at them… I felt so guilty that I would do anything to tell my parents that I was sorry on how I say those horrible to them.”

Frowning, Rey put her hands in front of her lower stomach, glancing up at Ben after a few seconds of silence. “I terribly sorry. That’s dreadful.”

He could tell from her tone that she was sincere, prompting him to offer her a small smile, assuring her. “Don’t worry, Poe told me that my parents have forgiven me despite what I did and say towards them. I promised myself that I will no longer be that person I was years ago and I will keep on making amends in my own way... for _them_.”

After walking in silence again for another moment or two, Rey quietly added. “I too lost my parents, as well. But they didn’t die the same way your parents are. They died in a car accident when I was only five. It was… easily the worst night of my life. Hearing from the Police say that they both died… it _still_ haunts me. The worst of it was knowing that I couldn’t help them, no matter how badly I wanted to. I felt so useless.”

Frowning with sympathy, Ben shook his head, looking down at her.

“I’m sure they didn’t see it that way,” He offered. “I can tell that you loved them dearly. That you undoubtedly meant a great deal to them. Just having you near would have been a tremendous comfort…”

Rey shrugged, unsure of what else to say, opting for a change of subject – hopefully to one slightly less painful.

“So did you stay in Italy all your life?”

His smile slipping, Ben turned his gaze to look straight ahead as they walked, taking a breath before he answered her.

“Not too long after I got out of prison, my friend and I travel on roads, just to you know explore before going to New York to see my family there. But somehow, I always wanted to do something with my life, to see the world, so… that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m living every day like it’s my last, because you never know. It can be possible. If it is, you might want to make it count.”

“Have you seen it, then?” Rey asked, offering him a small smile. “The world?”

Laughing at the sheer silliness of the question, Ben shrugged, brushing his soft black hair with his hand.

“Not quite, I’m afraid. The world, as it turns out, is quite a big place. I have been to a few places, though. So far I’ve seen Valencia, London, Rome, Paris and… New York. It just felt right, going back there; I suppose it was my childhood calling me home.”

Ben smiled at the sentiment before wrinkling his nose and adding. “People pay rubbish money there, though. That was quite disappointment.”

Laughing as he wrinkled his nose, Rey felt herself grin widen, eagerly asking. “What is it you do, precisely? To make your _‘rubbish’_ money?”

His own smile widening, Ben pulled the pencil from his pocket with a dramatic flourish, taking a theatrical bow before responding with. “I, my lady, am an _artist_.”

“You don’t say?” She found herself giggling, her gaze falling to the leather-bound folder he’d been toting around for their entire walk, smirking and grabbing it before he could object. _Artists_ had a pension for secrecy, but now she was curious. Fending off his attempts to snatch it back, Rey turned her back to him and flipped it open, blinking with surprise at the topmost drawing; an elaborate, detailed sketch of three little girls playing with china dolls – an exact likeness to the group he had waved to. Flipping back further though the sheets of paper, Rey found a striking charcoal drawing of Big Ben, along with the _Flavian Amphitheatre_ also known as the Colosseum, and further still there were drawing of people. Dozens of them. A few of them were _Naked Ladies_ … yeah, she was sure they were all from Paris. She’s not surprised that Ben was a good looking man, so without a doubt that he’s been with women before. She can feel herself blush at the sight those nude sketches then looked at Ben who smirked. Feeling her cheeks redden, looked down at the sketches, flipping them see more than naked women, thank god _not_ all of them are nude. Children playing with dogs, couples holding hands, men dressed in their finery, and –

“Is this… me?” She questioned, pulling one drawing in particular from the pile, utterly baffled. When could he have done this? They only met last night, under rather extreme circumstances, and the likeness here wasn’t dangling over the edge of a ship. No; she was leaning against a railing yes, but staring forward with an undeniable sense of sadness etched on her features. She’d been so sure that she had mastered keeping her emotions masked. Was she truly so transparent that a perfect stranger was able to capture her innermost feelings with only a pencil and a blank sheet of paper?

“When did you do this?”

Darting around to stand in front of her, his cheeks flushed a bit shade of scarlet, Ben quickly took back his drawings from her, stuffing her own portrait back into the folder and snapping it shut. Realizing he owed her an explanation, he breathlessly offered. “I was sitting below last night, drawing random people that I saw on the upper deck. You stood there, staring at the sunset for such a long time… you were practically begging to be drawn.” Swallowing roughly, his cheeks turning redder, he added. “You’re quite… beautiful.”

Her own cheek flushing pink, Rey looks down on her toes shyly and fidgeting her fingers in front of her lower stomach then glanced out at the waves breaking repeatedly. After a moment of contemplation, without meeting his gaze she asked. “Do I really look like that?”

“Beautiful?” He asked, and she shook her head, turning back to him and staying quiet for a moment before she clarified. _“… sad.”_

Frowning faintly, Ben found himself at a loss for words. Sometimes, in Valencia, London, Rome, and Paris, he would offer his impromptu drawings of people to them for a small fee. But never the ones like this. Never the ones that could reveal something to a person about themselves that they would rather live in ignorance of. He felt he had done an extreme injustice in letting that drawing fall into Rey’s hands.

“If you weren’t sad, I don’t think I would have found you as I did last night.” He finally offered and she exhaled a soft breath, rubbing her forehead and, in doing so, accidentally leaving smudges of charcoal in her wake. Evidently some had rubbed off onto her fingertip while she was flipping through his drawings, and Ben bit his lip at the sight. He certainly couldn’t lick his thumb and wipe it away, like he would if it were his own face. Opening his mouth to tell her, he ended up being cut off by a trill of, “Darling! There you are!”

Turning their heads at the same time, Ben and Rey caught the sight of Kace approaching, surrounding by a group of other ladies including Molly who were accompanied by Mr. Andrews and the Baronet of Pluttington. Rey quickly regained her composure as they are neared.

“We were wondering where you go off to. You’ve missed half the tour.” Kace informed her, then suddenly furrowing his brow at the sight of her forehead smudge in dirt but saying nothing about it.

“I was just having a conversation with this man. We met last night.” Rey justified her sudden disappearance, but the simple answer didn’t seem to appease the baronet.

“And who, my lady, is this man?”

Ben felt rather unsettled but somehow annoyed by the Baronet’s firm gaze and further unsettled by the clear distaste found in it. While no one had, as of yet, commented on him being on the top deck, he seemed to be a few seconds away from doing so.

Rey was floundering. How was she to explain that they had met when he saved her from pitching herself over the edge of the ship?

“He’s… that is, we… I…”

“Oh, don’t be so modest there, milady.” Ben quickly sprang to her rescue, offering the group a dashing smile that the ladies in front of him would go giggling and blush at his charm, even Molly seems to have felt the same way as the ladies beside her. “I saved her life.”

“Good God!” Kace gasped, looking down at Rey. “Darling, is this true?”

“I…” Meeting Ben’s intent gaze, she cleared her throat before nodding with certainty. “Yes. Yes, it’s true.” Quickly recalling the story that she told the guards last night, she continued. “You remember when I slipped away last night, due to seasickness?”

“Of course.” Kace agreed, nodding. “We were so worried!”

“Well…” Rey fidgeting her fingers with slight nervousness, and it took everything Ben had not to snicker when she suddenly wipes her traces of sweat in her forehead with her hand, managing to smudge more of the charcoal on her skin. “When I was there on leaning on the edge to get some air, and I… accidently slipped.”

There was a gasp from the crowd, and Rey quickly finished before they could ask too many questions that she wouldn’t be able to answer. “He saw me at the exact time I slipped and quickly grabbed my hand before I could fall. I honestly had quite a fright, but… I am alright now.”

“Oh darling, you poor thing! How awful!” Kace gasped then places his hands on her shoulder rubbing each side with his hands, comforting receiving a small smile from her. Then he looked at Ben, taking him in properly for the first time and beamed up at Ben. “Thank you for saving, Mr…? Oh for heaven’s sake, I apologize for not knowing your name, good sir!”

Ben just smiled then replied. “Ben. Ben Solo.” He reaches his hand for a greeting as Kace grinned and places his hand on his then giving them each other a handshake.

“Well then, thank you, Mr. Solo for saving my dear fiancée.”

“My Lady, you really must be more careful. Machinery like the propellers is not to be taken lightly. You should never have gotten so close to the edge.” Mr. Andrews cautioned her like a concerned father he was towards her. Then faces Ben with a thankful smile. “And you sir, I am very grateful that you saved this young lady just in time. For that I thank you for your heroic act.” And that prompts the Baronet to finally speak up.

“He shouldn’t have been _up here_ at all. Just look at his clothing! And that jacket – it has _holes_ in it. I don’t believe your ticket permits you to mingle about in the upper class areas, _Mr. Solo_.”

Irritated at being called out, Ben had called half a mind to tell the Baronet off to inform him that, had he not been up here, this young woman would surely be dead, but that wasn’t his place.

“Now, Sir Unkar, there’s no need to cause a fuss. I don’t think he was hurting anyone--”Mr. Andrews interjected, and the Baronet whipped his head around to face him.

“Not hurting anyone? He could take advantage of Lady Rey after pulling her up from the edge! He had no right to be up here--”

“Oh, Unkar, _do shut up_ ,” Rey finally snapped, narrowing her eyes and pursing her lips. If only she knew the truth of the matter. That Ben had prevented her from falling over the edge, and she owed him her life for being up here where she was. Turning to face him, her next question was both a silent _‘thank you’_ and an attempt to spite her ungrateful guardian. “Mr. Solo, will join us for dinner this evening?”

“ _What_ did you just say—?!” The Baronet snapped, horrified, but Kace cut him off this time.

“Oh darling, that’s a wonderful idea! Mr. Solo, we would be _honored_ for you to come to dinner. Then you and Rey can recount your heroic tale for all of our friends. You’ll come, won’t you?”

Ben hardly felt that it was his place to say no, and he certainly wasn’t one to turn down a good meal when it was offered. Gripping his drawings tight at his side hip, he nodded with a smile.

“Sure, why not.” He agreed, and Rey grinned at his answer.

“Wonderful! You shall be out guest of honor.” She concurred, and Ben repressed his amusement at how ridiculous that sounded whilst she had charcoal on her forehead. So prim and proper, and still so oblivious.

“I suppose I’ll see you tonight then, milady.” He agreed, and the group of ladies murmured their goodbyes with a flirty smile while Mr. Andrews smiled with a nod before continuing on, and Ben couldn’t help his quiet laughter when he heard Kace finally asked. “Darling, what _is_ that on your forehead?”

“Uh son? Son!”

Ticked out when he realized that one of the women had remained back, Ben turned to face Margaret Brown, looking at him up and down then smile up at him.

“Do you have the slightest comprehension of what you’re doing?”

“Not really.” Ben chuckled, while putting his hands on his pocket on each side.

“Well, you’re about to go into the snake pit. They all seem sweet and charming, but they’ll tear you out to shreds at the first chance.”

Ben was tempted to remark that the Baronet hadn’t seemed at all sweet and charming, but bit his tongue lest his invitation to dinner be revoked for such a comment. Instead, he focused on Molly, who was asking. “What are you planning to wear?”

Glancing down, Ben gestured half-heartedly to his jacket, shirt, pants and shoes. They were all that he owned as he raised his shoulders up and down with a shrug.

“Molly scoffed with sarcasm yet amused at his response then spoke. “I figured. Come on.” She wrapped her arm around his, pulling him to walk with her.

And don’t worry over it. My son is just about your size. I bought a tux for him while I was in England, but I don’t think he’ll mind if it’s a bit warn. I’ll just tell him it’s the latest fashion trend.”

He tittered with amusement at her comment, and Ben smiled curiously, she was nothing like the aristocrats Ben had come across prior to this; she was… _genuine_ , in some way though.  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow, Favorite and Comment will be a good payment for my writing ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ
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> See you soon for the next update (≧∇≦)/ !


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